Entering
the 1920s, Waffenfabrik Mauser had enjoyed a long and profitable
contract relationship with the Ottoman Empire, a reflection of the
Turkish armed forces' great and enduring admiration for all martial
things German. Mauser even built, within the Mauser works, a
"Turkish Pavilion" based on Ottoman architecture, so that
the continuous stream of Turkish military, diplomatic, and business
visitors would feel more at home. The fall of the Ottoman Empire,
replaced in Turkey by the Turkish Republic, had no effect on the
military-industrial relationship with Germany in general, and
Waffenfabrik Mauser specifically. However, the Oberndorf factory's
production was hobbled by post-WW1 restrictions, so for their latest
rifle acquisitions, Turkey now turned to an alternate but equally
reputable builder of Mauser rifles, Brno/Ceskoslovenska Zbrojovka,
A.S., generally referred to by the initials, CZ.

My
Brno 98/22 is a true mix-master of serial numbers, negating any
collector value. This one is purely a shooter, and a good one at
that, especially considering its hodge-podge of parts. The receiver,
trigger guard, and barrel bands are all correct. However, different
serial numbers appear on the bolt, safety lever, magazine floor
plate, rear sight slider and base, and the extractor claw even has an
arabic number. The only other arabic numbers are on the rear sight
tangent leaf, which also boasts a crescent moon, symbol of the
Turkish army. There is abundant surface pitting on the barrel,
concentrated at and below the wood lines. Blueing is probably less
than 30%. This is one rifle that has been rode hard. ...And it is
ready for more.

The
target shown immediately below is at 100 yards, from a bench/sandbag
rest, no wind. Trying the two different ammos noted. Interesting that
the 70-year-old German military surplus ammo seems to shoot better
than the contemporary Greek "Olympic" brand.